Beau Erickson
WASHINGTON, March 24 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Iran had made major energy-related concessions to the United States, calling it a positive development but without giving details.
Trump said the gift was related to the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which the United States has fought to keep open for oil transit.
“They gave us a gift, and the gift arrived today, and it’s a very big gift, worth a lot of money,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
“It’s not nuclear, it’s about oil and gas, and that’s a very good thing they do.”
Trump reiterated that he believed the United States had won the war and said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was frustrated with how quickly the battle was progressing.
“Pete doesn’t want this to be resolved,” he said, without giving details.
Trump said the United States was talking to the “right people” in Iran to reach a deal to end hostilities, adding that the Iranians very much wanted a deal.
“We are negotiating on Iran right now,” he said, without providing details, particularly on whether U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner planned to hold talks this week. He said Witkoff, Kushner, Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were all involved in the negotiations.
Pakistan has offered to host talks between the United States and Iran.
(Reporting by Bo Erickson, Doina Chiacu and Steve Holland; Editing by David Ljunggren Editing by David Ljunggren)
